# Send visits to Matomo {#send-visits-to-matomo}


Starting with v3.7.0, Shlink can send every visit to a [Matomo](https://matomo.org/) instance of your choice.

Matomo is an open source Google Analytics alternative, which can be self-hosted or used in the cloud, with a philosophy very much in line with Shlink's.

Sending visits to Matomo will enable an alternative UI to check short URL visits, and take advantage of all its analytics capabilities.


## Matomo integration FAQ {#matomo-integration-faq}


This is some general information and considerations when integrating Shlink with a Matomo instance:

- When enabled, all visits are sent to Matomo, no matter the runtime used to serve Shlink. When using a runtime that supports background jobs (like [roadrunner](https://sourcey-shlink.pages.dev/documentation/supported-runtimes/serve-with-roadrunner/index.md)), it will send the visits asynchronously, with no impact to end visitors. However, if you serve Shlink with a [classic web server](https://sourcey-shlink.pages.dev/documentation/supported-runtimes/classic-web-server/index.md), visits will be sent to matomo before redirecting the visitor to the long URL.
- In order to integrate a matomo instance, you need to provide three configuration options:
  - An instance public URL that can be reached by Shlink.
  - The Site ID (usually a number). You can see how to get this value in [their docs](https://matomo.org/faq/general/faq_19212/).
  - An API token. Their docs explain how to [generate one](https://matomo.org/faq/general/faq_114/).
- While Matomo supports sending data via `GET` and `POST`, Shlink will always use the latter, making sure data is secure as long as your Matomo instance uses HTTPS.
- Matomo [tracks unique visits](https://matomo.org/faq/general/faq_36/) in intervals of 30 minutes. Any new visit from the [same visitor](https://matomo.org/faq/general/faq_43) within this interval will be tracked as an action of the same visit. This could make visits tracked by Shlink and Matomo differ.
- Shlink will send raw IP addresses to Matomo, to let it [geolocate](https://matomo.org/faq/how-to/setting-up-accurate-visitors-geolocation/) them in case something failed in Shlink side. Matomo has [its own mechanism](https://matomo.org/faq/general/configure-privacy-settings-in-matomo/) to anonymize visitor's IP addresses.


## Configuring Matomo integration {#configuring-matomo-integration}


As with any other configuration params, there are two main ways to provide matomo integration options:

- [Environment variables](https://sourcey-shlink.pages.dev/documentation/environment-variables/index.md#matomo-integration), which allow you to enable the integration however you like.
- The [installation tool](https://sourcey-shlink.pages.dev/documentation/command-line-interface/installation-tool/index.md), which, at some point in the process, will ask you if you want to integrate with matomo, and request you to provide all required options.

  ```shell
   [...]

  INTEGRATIONS
  ============

    Do you want Shlink to send all visits to an external Matomo server? (yes/no) [no]:
    > yes

    Matomo server URL:
    > https://my-matomo-server.example.com

    Matomo site ID:
    > 3

    Matomo API token:
    > 15a010fec36a1f7d07f507ccd9ef1de5

   [...]
  ```


## Sending existing visits {#sending-existing-visits}


If you have been using Shlink for a while and start using Matomo at a later point in time, you may find yourself with existing visits that do not show in Matomo.

Starting with Shlink 4.1.0, Shlink provides a `integration:matomo:send-visits` command to send existing/old visits to your Matomo instance.

For example, if you started using Matomo on October 10th, 2023, you can send all visits which are older than that:

```shell
$ shlink integration:matomo:send-visits --until 2023-10-09
```



> [!WARNING]
> Bear in mind that Shlink will not check if a specific visit already exists in Matomo. All visits matching provided
> dates will be sent, which could cause duplications.